How much should you be worth at your age? This page compiles every major net worth statistic for 2026, drawn from the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. All figures are adjusted to 2026 dollars unless otherwise noted.
Overview: Key Net Worth Statistics
The gap between average and median net worth tells the story of wealth concentration in America. A small number of ultra-high-net-worth households pull the average far above what a typical family actually holds.
The median is a more useful benchmark for most people. It represents the household right in the middle: half of all households have more, and half have less. The average, on the other hand, is heavily skewed by billionaires and deca-millionaires.
Net Worth by Age Group
Net worth follows a predictable arc over a lifetime. It starts low in your twenties, accelerates through your peak earning years, and typically plateaus or declines slightly after retirement as households draw down savings. The table below shows average and median net worth by age group, along with the percentage of households in each group that have a positive net worth.
| Age Group | Average Net Worth | Median Net Worth | % with Positive Net Worth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | $76,300 | $17,500 | 72% |
| 25 - 34 | $183,500 | $48,900 | 81% |
| 35 - 44 | $549,600 | $135,600 | 87% |
| 45 - 54 | $975,800 | $247,200 | 90% |
| 55 - 64 | $1,566,900 | $364,500 | 92% |
| 65 - 74 | $1,794,600 | $409,900 | 94% |
| 75+ | $1,624,100 | $335,600 | 95% |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, adjusted to 2026 dollars.
Notice that average net worth peaks in the 65 to 74 age bracket at $1,794,600, while the median peaks in the same range at $409,900. The gap between average and median widens as people age, reflecting the compounding effect of investment returns for wealthier households.
Also notable: 28% of households headed by someone under 25 have zero or negative net worth, often due to student loan debt exceeding assets. By age 75 and older, only 5% of households remain in negative territory.
Net Worth Percentiles by Age
Averages and medians only tell part of the story. The table below shows where you fall relative to your peers at specific percentile cutoffs. If your net worth is at the 75th percentile for your age group, that means you have more wealth than 75% of households in your bracket.
| Age Group | 25th Percentile | 50th (Median) | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile | 95th Percentile | 99th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | $1,000 | $17,500 | $54,700 | $148,200 | $258,400 | $712,000 |
| 25 - 34 | $6,400 | $48,900 | $166,800 | $398,500 | $631,200 | $1,870,000 |
| 35 - 44 | $22,100 | $135,600 | $432,500 | $1,036,400 | $1,719,000 | $5,240,000 |
| 45 - 54 | $42,800 | $247,200 | $750,900 | $1,812,600 | $3,107,000 | $9,680,000 |
| 55 - 64 | $57,500 | $364,500 | $1,115,200 | $2,859,000 | $4,826,000 | $14,510,000 |
| 65 - 74 | $72,300 | $409,900 | $1,284,700 | $3,245,000 | $5,412,000 | $16,230,000 |
| 75+ | $55,200 | $335,600 | $1,067,400 | $2,706,000 | $4,518,000 | $13,640,000 |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, adjusted to 2026 dollars.
The spread between the 25th and 99th percentiles is dramatic at every age. A 45 to 54 year old at the 25th percentile has $42,800, while one at the 99th has $9,680,000. That is a 226x difference within the same generation.
Net Worth by Race and Ethnicity
The racial wealth gap remains one of the most significant disparities in American household finances. Structural factors, including homeownership rates, inheritance patterns, income inequality, and historical access to financial services, drive persistent differences across racial and ethnic groups.
| Race / Ethnicity | Median Net Worth | Average Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | $285,000 | $1,378,200 |
| Black (non-Hispanic) | $44,900 | $340,100 |
| Hispanic | $61,600 | $394,700 |
| Other | $156,200 | $935,400 |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, adjusted to 2026 dollars.
While the gap has narrowed slightly over the past decade, particularly driven by rising home values in markets with higher minority homeownership, the absolute dollar difference continues to grow as asset prices appreciate faster for wealthier households.
Net Worth by Education Level
Education is one of the strongest predictors of net worth in the United States. Higher education correlates with higher lifetime earnings, greater access to employer-sponsored retirement plans, and higher rates of homeownership. The compounding effect of these advantages grows larger over time.
| Education Level | Median Net Worth | Average Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | $26,000 | $196,800 |
| High school diploma | $74,600 | $417,300 |
| Some college | $88,800 | $496,500 |
| Bachelor's degree | $300,600 | $1,482,100 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $469,100 | $2,158,600 |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, adjusted to 2026 dollars.
Households headed by someone with a graduate degree hold 18 times the median net worth of households without a high school diploma. The jump from "some college" ($88,800) to a completed bachelor's degree ($300,600) is especially notable: finishing a four-year degree more than triples median household wealth.
Homeowner vs. Renter Net Worth
Homeownership is the single largest driver of net worth for most American households. A home serves as both a place to live and a forced savings vehicle through mortgage principal payments and property appreciation. The wealth gap between homeowners and renters is enormous.
| Housing Status | Median Net Worth | Average Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| Homeowner | $396,200 | $1,533,600 |
| Renter | $10,400 | $155,800 |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, adjusted to 2026 dollars.
This does not mean renting is always the wrong choice. In high-cost markets, the math can favor renting and investing the difference. But for the typical American household, home equity represents more than half of total net worth.
Top 10 States by Median Net Worth
Geography matters. Housing costs, local industries, tax policies, and cost of living all influence how much wealth households accumulate. States with high homeownership rates and strong real estate appreciation tend to rank highest.
| Rank | State | Median Net Worth | Average Net Worth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $328,600 | $1,084,200 |
| 2 | Maryland | $321,400 | $908,700 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $318,900 | $1,215,300 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $313,200 | $946,100 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $305,800 | $872,400 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $296,500 | $1,142,600 |
| 7 | Virginia | $291,200 | $924,500 |
| 8 | Colorado | $285,900 | $918,300 |
| 9 | Utah | $279,100 | $862,700 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $275,600 | $896,800 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, adjusted to 2026 dollars.
New Jersey leads the nation with a median household net worth of $328,600, driven by high homeownership rates, proximity to New York City employment, and strong property values. Note that California and New York, despite having the highest number of millionaires in absolute terms, do not crack the top 10 for median net worth due to high costs of living and large renter populations.
Net Worth Growth Over Time
Median household net worth has grown substantially over the past several decades, though the path has not been smooth. The 2008 financial crisis wiped out nearly a decade of gains for the typical household, and it took until the mid-2010s for median net worth to recover to pre-crisis levels.
| Year | Median Net Worth | Average Net Worth | Change from Prior Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | $93,200 | $383,400 | - |
| 1995 | $102,500 | $424,800 | +10.0% |
| 2001 | $121,600 | $549,200 | +18.6% |
| 2007 | $146,100 | $680,700 | +20.1% |
| 2010 | $89,200 | $530,400 | -38.9% |
| 2013 | $97,300 | $556,800 | +9.1% |
| 2016 | $120,300 | $692,100 | +23.6% |
| 2019 | $141,900 | $798,500 | +17.9% |
| 2022 | $192,900 | $1,063,700 | +35.9% |
| 2025 (est.) | $192,900 | $1,063,700 | ~0% |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (triennial survey), adjusted to 2026 dollars. 2025 figure is an estimate based on the most recent available SCF data.
The 2019 to 2022 period saw the largest three-year jump in median net worth on record (+35.9%), driven by surging home prices, a strong stock market recovery, and pandemic-era fiscal stimulus. Whether this pace of growth is sustainable remains an open question as interest rates have risen and housing affordability has declined.
Track your net worth over time
See where you stand relative to these benchmarks. Optionality tracks all your accounts, investments, and assets in one place, with automatic updates and multi-currency support.
Get started freeWhere Do You Stand? Benchmarks by Age
Use the table below to see how your net worth compares to others in your age group. "Behind" means below the 25th percentile. "On track" means between the 25th and 75th percentile, which covers the middle half of all households. "Ahead" means above the 75th percentile, and "top tier" means above the 90th percentile.
| Age Group | Behind (< 25th) | On Track (25th - 75th) | Ahead (> 75th) | Top Tier (> 90th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | < $1,000 | $1,000 - $54,700 | $54,700+ | $148,200+ |
| 25 - 34 | < $6,400 | $6,400 - $166,800 | $166,800+ | $398,500+ |
| 35 - 44 | < $22,100 | $22,100 - $432,500 | $432,500+ | $1,036,400+ |
| 45 - 54 | < $42,800 | $42,800 - $750,900 | $750,900+ | $1,812,600+ |
| 55 - 64 | < $57,500 | $57,500 - $1,115,200 | $1,115,200+ | $2,859,000+ |
| 65 - 74 | < $72,300 | $72,300 - $1,284,700 | $1,284,700+ | $3,245,000+ |
| 75+ | < $55,200 | $55,200 - $1,067,400 | $1,067,400+ | $2,706,000+ |
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, adjusted to 2026 dollars.
These benchmarks are useful as rough guideposts, but your individual situation matters more than any comparison. A 35-year-old with $100,000 in net worth and zero debt is in a very different position from one with $200,000 in assets and $150,000 in student loans, even though their net worth figures are similar.
Factors that affect where you fall
- Geographic location: A $300,000 net worth goes much further in Memphis than in San Francisco. Cost of living adjustments are not reflected in these national figures.
- Homeownership: As shown above, homeowners have dramatically higher net worth. If you rent in an expensive city and invest the difference, your liquid net worth may be high even if your total net worth appears modest.
- Career stage: A 30-year-old physician finishing residency may have a negative net worth due to medical school debt, but their earning trajectory puts them on a path to the 90th percentile within a decade.
- Inheritance and family wealth: Roughly 20% of household wealth in the U.S. comes from intergenerational transfers. If you are building wealth from scratch, matching the median is a significant achievement.
See exactly where you stand
Connect your accounts and get a real-time picture of your net worth, broken down by asset type, currency, and account. Free to start.
Get started freeMethodology and Sources
The primary data source for the statistics on this page is the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), a triennial survey that is widely regarded as the most comprehensive measure of household wealth in the United States. The most recent survey was conducted in 2022, with results published in 2023.
All dollar figures have been adjusted to 2026 dollars using the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. State-level data draws on supplemental estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and the BLS.
Net worth is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. Assets include financial assets (bank accounts, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds), nonfinancial assets (primary residence, other real estate, vehicles, business equity), and other assets. Liabilities include mortgage debt, student loans, credit card debt, vehicle loans, and other outstanding obligations.
These figures represent household-level data, not individual data. A married couple living together counts as one household. Percentile calculations are based on the distribution of all U.S. households, weighted to be nationally representative.